Technology

Conventional hydropower has made huge contributions to the U.S. energy landscape, and there is a suite of new and advanced hydropower technologies that produce electricity in diverse ways. The National Hydropower Association promotes hydropower in all of its forms and supports legislative, regulatory and other policies to ensure the full range of established and developing hydro technologies grow and expand.

The most affordable, achievable means of storing electricity at scale, this technology uses electricity from the grid to move water uphill to a reservoir during times of low power demand and can send the electricity back to the grid by running that water downhill through a hydro turbine during times of peak demand.

Allowing water to flow from a reservoir through a dam and turbine system, conventional hydro has been reliably generating electricity for decades — and is poised to expand through upgrades and capacity additions at existing facilities.

Developers and local communities in all regions of the country are re-examining existing dams and infrastructure to support small hydro installations. Small hydro is an important component to expanding U.S. hydro capacity.